A little stress with my Stress-Free Whole Grain Pancake Mix

These past few weeks have seemed particularly rough for me. Between Mr Cranky Pants (who should now also be known as Clean-House-Destroyer), Gabriel being gone every other work week on business trips, and the ongoing upheaval in my family, I feel like I'm in constant crisis mode. The littlest things send me over the top, like stepping on a star-shaped toy at 4am when a certain someone is awake and crying. At 4 am. Aargh.

I know I have LOTS of things to be thankful for and overwhelmingly happy over, and I am, but sometimes I forget to find joy in even the smallest of things. Like my favorite pancake mix recipe. Gabriel won't eat it (it's too grainy for his tastes, which run along the lines of all-white pancakes doused in hfcs "maple" syrup), but Liam eats them gladly.

Even when he wakes up grouchy, Liam will perk up for pancakes. And with this mix ready in the fridge, pancakes are on the table in less than 10 minutes...and the fussing turns into mmm...

Whole Grain Flaxseed Pancake Mix

I stumbled upon this recipe on the Whole Foods website a few years ag and have been making it ever since. I usually double it.

• 1/2 cup flaxseeds, ground
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 1/2 up rolled oats
• 1/2 cup dry milk powder (I often use soy beverage mix)
• 2 TBSP sugar (I use sucanat)
• 5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Dump all ingredients into an airtight-lidded container. Shake to combine. Store in the refrigerator

When you're ready for pancakes,

Add to 1 cup of mix:

• 1 egg
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 cup of water

I usually let the mix stand for a minute or two (it'll thicken dramatically), then I cook them up like any other pancake recipe. This makes 4 good-sized pancakes.

Liam and I like our pancakes with unsweetened applesauce liberally scooped on top.